With housing affordability reaching crisis point across Australia, the bold new comedy The Agent, written by Meryn Cooper and premiering 20 May as part of the Brisbane Anywhere Festival, is turning the spotlight on the people at the centre of it all: real estate agents.
Blending satire with sharp social commentary, The Agent dives headfirst into the absurdities of Australia’s property market. It’s a fast-paced, unapologetically wacky spy spoof that asks: what if your real estate agent thought they were the hero of their own spy film?
Playwright Meryn Cooper said:
“The Agent was born out of my own frustrations with the housing market. First as a tenant and then as a first-home buyer. It can be humiliating and dehumanising to the point where, if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry. So, I decided to channel those frustrations into a farce for stage.”
Behind the comedy lies a biting truth. With rising house prices, increasing mortgage stress, and rental costs outpacing incomes, Australians are feeling the squeeze, and those on the frontlines of the property market are often caught in the middle. The Agent explores this tension with humour, heart, and just the right amount of chaos.
A former journalist, Cooper undertook extensive research while developing the work.
“I pored over news articles. Listened to industry experts. And fell down a rabbit hole of data comparisons and affordability reports. But the real gold was in the anecdotes. Nine times out of ten, when I mentioned I was writing about home buying and real estate agents, people had a story to tell.
Securing a home is an emotional experience. We’re still attached to the great Australian dream of a quarter-acre block. But the reality is a high-stakes investment that can lead to mortgage stress rather than stability.”
Yes it’s a look at the housing crisis through the eyes of the real estate agents. But at its core, The Agent is designed to entertain. It’s big, bold, and packed with laughs, offering audiences a chance to escape, even briefly, from the pressures of real life.”
At the centre is Michelle Schrödinger — ambitious, self-obsessed, and determined to be crowned Real Estate Agent of the Year. With her loyal, and slightly clueless assistant Brad, and tech-savvy Joan by her side, Michelle sets out to dominate the market.
But between a rival agent, a problematic property, and the smooth voice of radio announcer Jock Lovegrove, her mission quickly spirals out of control.
The play also flips traditional gender dynamics, placing a powerful, unapologetic female character at the centre of a genre typically dominated by men. In doing so, The Agent playfully interrogates representation, power, and perspective, without ever losing its sense of fun.
The Agent runs 20 – 30 May at Warehouse 25 as part of the 2026 Brisbane Anywhere Festival. 25 Finchley Street Milton Qld 4064.
The venue’s restaurant and bar will be open, with food and drinks available for purchase. Doors open two hours prior to each performance.
Tickets: https://anywhere.is/event/the-agent/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/anywherefestbrisbane/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/zebramez_creative/
Photo credits: Georgia Haupt
Zebra Mez Creative would like to thank their venue partner Warehouse 25, and sponsors Eureka Furniture – 40 years of turning houses into homes and Acru Wealth – Live your best life today and build a better tomorrow.
Brisbane Anywhere Festival is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and Brisbane City Council.
